I just spent a night at the 83-suite Aman New York, which opened in 2022, and is located in the iconic Crown Building, on 57th and 5th. This is probably the hotel in the United States that I’ve been most curious about, as it’s certainly one of the most talked about, and also probably the…
Continue reading: I Stayed At Aman New York: Does The Hotel Live Up The Hype (And Price)?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
the value proposition isn't in the room size, or the service, or the square footage. it's in the exclusivity itself. people who choose this property and have no issue with it aren't people who are "splurging," it's people who can book this without batting an eye. for us mere mortals who assess whether it lives up to its "value"...well, it most definitely won't, because we aren't the target clientele.
My go to luxe hotel in my ex home town of NYC is still the 4 Seasons. Fortunately, I rarely have to stay in hotels when I return for visits.
Imagine paying $2000 for a room, and the hotel can't even deliver ice in less than an hour. Would be unacceptable at 10% of the price. Insane. No service recovery?
NYC service can be exceptional. I would expect flawless execution at $3,000/night. Sad the hotel fell short.
"That being said, the hotel is priced in a completely different league than any other hotel in the city, . . . " I would disagree. The price and size of suites at other properties in the mid to upper East side are roughly the same.
The rooms are spectacular (so quiet, beautiful fireplace, supersized bed); feels like Tokyo/Kyoto in there. Only downside (new hotel, so low water pressure; shower is like a mist). For food, Nama is excellent. I really enjoyed the Jazz Club when we stayed there; it's far more intimate than the Carlyle (though, they get bigger names). Spa was just alright; pool was cool though. Glad you tried it, Ben! (And, thank you, as always, for visiting the best city on Earth!)
Ben, IMHO you really shouldn't be reviewing a comped hotel stay, even if it was comped to your husband and not you. Just hard to trust. Usually you are so good about this kind of thing!
Welp, maybe it's been a while for you, because you're wrong, Fred. Most five-star hotels are $1,000-1,500/night starting; think Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Carlyle, Baccarat, etc. Aman NY is priced well-above all-else (like $2,500+/night). By the way, I live here, and I've never heard anyone refer to it as "mid" East Side before; we either say "Midtown" or "Upper East Side"...
Not sure if I agree. The review clearly says it’s comped. I enjoyed reading the post and enjoyed looking at the pictures.
What I still don’t understand is why airlines and hotels seemingly don’t add some VVIP status to Ben’s reservations so he would receive the best possible service. It’s not like Ben is traveling under Fake Names to disclose his identity.
Not sure if I agree. The review clearly says it’s comped. I enjoyed reading the post and enjoyed looking at the pictures.
What I still don’t understand is why airlines and hotels seemingly don’t add some VVIP status to Ben’s reservations so he would receive the best possible service. It’s not like Ben is traveling under Fake Names to disclose his identity.
While this is a fair comment, he was quite transparent about it, and provided what seemed to me to be a very balanced review. I've been curious about Aman, and I'm glad he reported so that I can now feel good about not staying there!
I disagree. He can still tell us about his experience, show us the hotel, and write a good review even if he didn't pay for it. I feel like out of anyone Ben would be a good person to do that in an unbiased way (as much as that can be done).
Looks beautiful, and I would love to try it one day. Did you notice the sound insulation in the room Ben? That's been one of the high points Ive read.
Ben, 1990, etc, etc.
One the subject of NY hotels, would anyone care to share their experience of The Peninsula, please?
This hotels base room is a 700 square foot suite. Your comparing with hotels where base rooms are not suites at $1500
Why must you be so combative . . . When you are the one whom is wrong?
Fred clearly identified that the appropriate comparison considers suites, and their pricing, not any given hotel’s entry level room. Seriously, the more you are a jerk, the more you hafta be right, loser.
bald,
We NYERs care about what we call our city. You not being a NYER... nothing needs further be said.
In light of the previous post, would you say that the bathroom was functional and had adequate privacy? The bathtub looked like it was partitioned with a folding screen.
Thanks for this.
This is a fabulous and highly competitive place to stay in the area, with what it arguably the finest hotel pool and spa I have ever seen. The food at the restaurant likewise was otherworldly. The service throughout our 3-night stay was incredible, particularly from the front desk representative.
Couldn't have been a better trip, perhaps unless Delta didn't delay our flight by 5 (!) Hours!! Tim Dunn?
Very poor service. Rooms need work. The MO has very poor service as well. Expensive hotels, yes. Luxury hotels, no.
And, if I used shorthand for "Midtown East to the Upper East Side," I shall pray the Rosary, perform Stations of the Cross, and offer an Act of Contrition.
Very interesting Fred, thank you.
Can one assume that you have not stayed at the Peninsula NY, since 2024?
One can only assume the you have “No” experience of The Peninsula, 1990. Therefore, why do you bother to mention it? Are you simply trying to impress the readers by reeling off a list of hotels which you probably know absolutely nothing about? Your credibility is now in question old sock.
Aero, neither of the above ‘1990’s were me. How ‘fun’ that you fell for it. LOL.
—O.G. 1990
A very interesting critique Samuel, thank you.
Undoubtedly, OKO Group carry out fine property development works under the leadership of Vladislav Doronin. He also oversees the Aman Group hospitality enterprise in true Russian fashion too. Some report his management style to be very Russian Mafia like too, I couldn’t possibly comment of course.
“The best city on Earth!” …. now we all know that you are drunk, in a chemically induced stupor, or, you have lost the plot 1990.
The ‘joke’ is still on you 1990. However, the shame is firmly placed at Ben’s door for allowing such blatant misappropriation of login credentials, yes?
Thank you, AeroB13a.
I too have heard reports of this from friends and acquaintances in the industry, but beyond anecdotal stories, I have no personal experience with OKO.
You get the point Eric. It is exactly the same with World Class Airlines, as opposed to the also rans.
I’m smiling now Samuel, perhaps we would be best advised not to over egg the pudding just in case some unsavoury characters are lurking in the readership …. 🙂
But it is you who has lost his name old bean. I never had one to lose in the first place. Besides, no mortal being can laugh at me more than I laugh at myself, I just love my life too much …. every day is a bonus don’t you know.
Aman is so not NYC. it's super pretentious. Carlyle or Bowery are places I would stay at if I didn't live here. Being known as the most expensive hotel is a major flag to stay away. Nice pics thanks for sharing.
Bowery? What is this John Wick? Chinatown/LES may be a deal, but, not even ballpark same level as Carlyle, at all. If you’re looking for sub-$300/night we got Holiday Inn Expresses all over. For something nicer, downtown, check out the Cipriani or Greenwich hotel, both on Amex FHR.
Aero, ironically, all other ‘1990’s in your thread here are the impersonator. I have stayed at the Peninsula NYC; it’s fine; showing its age; across from St. Regis on Fifth Ave. I like the rooftop bar.
The actual original 1990.
Well, it’s certainly not London… or Rome… or even Tokyo (though, I really like that one.)
Indeed! Sorry, 1990, but NYC is (too put it mildly) not the greatest city on Earth, or even NY state. Maybe if they could start from scratch, it would be better?
Hey, baldy, how would YOU pronounce Houston Street? I bet you’d say it like the city in Texas, wouldn’t ya? (…tourist.)
*cough* HOUSE *cough* TON
@1990,
Midtown. The E57th st location works very well for me, as I like to take a morning jog in Central Park.
It's no different than a travel advisor going on a FAM trip. How do you think they get first hand experience? I stayed here on a comped trip and was able to experience everything, and believe it or not, there are still hiccups on those trips. I don't have some rosey view of the hotel because the stay was comped.
Why should they? I don't quite know if you are trolling or being sarcastic or being sycophantic. Talk about DYKWIA syndrome though...
At a minimum, I think you might mean wrong-est, not wrong-ist.
Please learn English.
Couple of my personal observationsz"
1) per sq. ft. pricing sounds relatively reasonable; it includes fees, taxes, b/f, minibar... Now, it's not so outrageously expensive, if you compare it to some other luxury NYC hotel, where they tax you, resort fee you as if it were no tomorrow, and that's for a room half-size...
2) there was a recent discussion about hotel bathroom per peeves, transparent walls included here; not that Aman is blameless in this matter. It looks like bathroom walls are made from opaque glass, albeit with a pretty pattern, and are basically comprised of several rotating panels. They may look pretty, but I am curious about the convenience. Check this link below:
https://www.aman.com/hotels/aman-new-york/accommodation/suite/deluxe-suite-56th-street
I dont think that as a comped TA plus one you can tell all the wrong things as direct and transparent as you wish without pissing off the host, Aman, and therefore jeopardize your husband relationship with the supplier
I think Ben likes this hotel because the bathroom has proper doors, haha.
Also, Ben I do not think that restaurant is named Nama because of Aman spelled backwards. It is a Japanese restaurant and it has sushi. Nama means raw or uncooked in Japanese.
I judge hotel service by its ice delivery since that is what I always order first. So many high-end hotels fail miserably. It's been numerous times I've waited over an hour for ice which included one or two follow up call reminders.
For some reason I can't 'reply' to Klaus S's post further down which says:
"What I still don’t understand is why airlines and hotels seemingly don’t add some VVIP status to Ben’s reservations so he would receive the best possible service."
???? Is this serious or sarcasm?
I want to read reviews so I can get an understanding of what a product is like. Should I travel that airline, what kind of service would I receive? Should I stay at that hotel, is it worth the $$??
By affording someone that makes a living by writing reviews for public consumption a 'VVIP status' (and by default - letting all the staff in that hotel or airline know this is a review flight/stay there is no way it is going to reflect reality for the remaining 99.9% of us.
Believe me, know. I work for an airline and as soon as we know that we have someone that is reviewing us we pull out all the stops!
Ben, has put a great deal of effort into writing an article about The Aman, NYC. Thank you Ben.
Others who claim to know the city hotels, chip in with their quite obvious nonsensical comments too. Why they bother I cannot even begin to imagine. I say this in the sound knowledge that what they are posting is utter hogwash. I do not even claim to know the city that well, however, I know enough after all my time spent in NY, to be able to recognise BS when it is smeared across the comments section.
Sorting the ‘wheat from the chaff’ on this site is becoming increasingly farcical. Ben, you really do need to get a grip upon reported misappropriation of Guest’s login credentials. Simply ‘burying your head in the sand’ is inappropriate old bean.
Is it only me that thinks the decor looks like any other upscale hotel room? And the rest also not that different? No way it warrants a price that is multiples of other luxury properties in NYC... even if you get free breakfast and minibar 😉
Timo.
I too find the ice delivery service to be patchy when staying at some hotels. Especially on those occasions when we do not have a personal butler service. My solution, which I have found to be the most reliable in those circumstances, is to put the onus upon the reception staff immediately upon arrival. I take control of the registration formalities by requesting that ice is my top priority and that I would like it supplied immediately.
That approach has worked for me for decades now with a great deal of success. Reception staff are always eager to impress and find it hard to ignore a face to face request from a guest, especially, if they find a bank note in my passport …. 🙂
An excellent manager will be grateful for any constructive feedback to make the hotel even better, so there is that.
I agree. It took me a moment but the fireplace DOES make it look much more higher end. Without it, it's just an average luxury hotel room.
@justin
Thanks for your kind feedback.
Ben is an influencer/reviewer: if I would own an airline/hotel chain I would make sure that he will receive the best possible service so his reviews are very positive.
@justin
Thanks for your kind feedback.
Ben is an influencer/reviewer: if I would own an airline/hotel chain I would make sure that he will receive the best possible service so his reviews are very positive.
@justindev
Not trying to be sarcastic here but I really don’t understand why you link my comment to DYKWIA syndrome.
It seems like you are implying that I have DYKWIA syndrome or is that a misinterpretation.
I am not sure what triggered you to be such offensive but sorry.
Oof. The state isn’t a contender. (Probably should’ve included Paris on the list of contenders, too, but, no, still NYC #1.)
What is this, the 1890s? Are we waiting for the ice to arrive from ‘the north’ to be chiseled for your comfort and delight? Odd commentary. “Oh, the vapors…” Next, whine about those dreadful horseless carriages overtaking the city!
Such a lot of words to say absolutely nothing of worth. Do try harder fake one if you feel the need to be taken seriously, yes?
It matters not fake or real, there is little point in taking your posts seriously, yes?
It's been a while since I've been by, but, I'd like to return to dine at The Garden again. Classic NYC.
I cant speak to the quality but 3k for a hotel room is not reasonable as far as price. Its not a resort and especially in nyc there is so much more you can do with your extra 2k per night that will give you more value. That being said if you got it i am sure besides value you will get a good experience.
You made your bed now lie in it, yes?
There is a solution of course …. login like genuine commentators.
Gene, I’m not sure that Vladislav Doronin, the Aman Group owner, would appreciate being labelled a “Serial Killer”.
Hello Duck Ling,
Thank you for your feedback.
No, that wasn't meant to be sarcastic at all. But somehow my comment seems to have come across wrong.
As a reader of this blog (and sometimes LALF), I appreciate the balanced and authentic reviews. I just don't get the impression that Ben is getting special treatment.
And that's exactly what surprises me, that Ben (or Matthew or Gary or Josh...) isn't listed as a reviewer in the airline and hotel systems. Technically, it should be quite easy to link his frequent flyer number to a note (?) in order to then subliminally and subtly offer him better service (without Ben noticing) and get a better review.
Maybe then the Aegon Mykonos would still exist... 😉
Just to make sure I'm not misunderstood: Fortunately, Ben doesn't get special treatment.
But if I ever owned a luxury hotel chain, I would also invite Ford and ensure the very best service, hoping that Ben would come along and write a very positive Review.
@Dave:
Maybe he is one of the more successful travel advisors and generates enough review to be interesting for Aman…
Maybe they know that he is linked to an influencer and were hoping for a review (and then messes up with the ice)…
Unfortunately, We will never find out.
I think what the poster is saying, is that it's surprising that hotels and airlines have not taken the initiative to notate blogger accounts like Ben's proactively (and without their knowledge) behind the scenes so they have a better chance of performing to a high degree for stays where a very public review is likely to be written up. This is not about Ben requesting it, it's about smart companies proactively managing their reputation as much as they can based on publicly available information.
So the point is not that anyone here wants reviews that are unrealistic because the hotel knew it would be written about, but instead, that it's surprising that hotels clearly don't do this behind the scenes to manage their reputation. And if they do, it doesn't impact the experience as much as it should because of the service missteps.
Now, I suspect that Four Seasons does have this information noted on Ben's account. It doesn't guarantee no missteps but I've glanced at their CRM before and, for example, they had photos of my partner and I, likely scraped from our LinkedIn profiles. Aman may as well though this stay perhaps just had his husband noted with his travel advisor information vs. Ben's blogger background.
Again, point is not that anyone desires this, it's more a reaction to the fact that it doesn't seem to be prevalent (and yet would be a smart business practice) based on the negative experiences Ben has.
While I'm sure you are correct that they chose the name of the sushi restaurant to be Nama (Aman spelled backwards), I'm almost positive it has a double meaning. Nama means raw in Japanese.
Influencer my aunt's you know what...
How does treating one person better than all others work? If I owned an airline or hotel chain, he would be treated exactly the same as any other guest. Thanks for letting me know you are neither a troll nor being sarcastic...
I've only ever had breakfast in the Garden. There are so many eating places in NYC that I don't believe I have ever eaten lunch or dinner at a hotel unless it was for an event.
Consider that it is not prime season in New York and that's their price. In season rates are probably much more. While the inclusions are good, consider what they really cost the hotel. For example, what the minibar or breakfast really costs the hotel.
Now you are being willfully sarcastic.
FFS, what do you think your statement "Ben is an influencer/reviewer: if I would own an airline/hotel chain I would make sure that he will receive the best possible service" means? I'll give you a hint, DYKNWIA... But carry on. Continue the fawning, hope it works out for you... whatever that is...
Justindev: I'm pretty sure you've misunderstood the comment from Klaus or simply don't understand it.
You can take another look at Duck Ling's comment history above and search for Jetset. Maybe then it will become clearer to you—or maybe not.
Regardless, I find it quite pitiful that you react so rudely and unobjectively to comments you don't understand or don't like. In my opinion, that doesn't speak well for a stable character.
The service is really bad.
There was no hot water one morning and no service recovery.
They even tried to act like it was a city problem not the hotel's issue!